Don’t take liberal Yes votes for granted.

The minister for foriegn affairs, Micheal Martin TD, is currently negotiating with our EU partners about the various legal guarantees to be attached to the Lisbon Treaty on the ACE (Abortion, Conscription, Everything to do with Religion.) issues to assuage the concerns of the religious right.

I think it is important that Micheal Martin be reminded that the Yes votes of liberal, secular voters cannot be taken for granted either, and that too much genuflecting towards people who, in some cases, turned a blind eye to the abuse of children in their care could put liberal Yes votes into jeopardy. The abortion guarantee will just reflect the reality of previous treaties. What I am concerned about is any guarantee that gives the Catholic Church any special position or recognition. The minister must be careful, because he may find, having shored up one side of the vote, that he has opened up a whole new schism amongst people like me who should be regarded as solid Yes voters.

I’ve been, and want to be, a Yes voter. I believe in the Lisbon Treaty and the EU as being in our national interest. But I’m not having my views being regarded as of secondary value compared to certain elements of the Catholic Church and their fellow travellers in Youth Defence. You can email him below: